Comments on: Comments on 16056

Post number 16056

rschram — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 16:10:38 -0800

NYT: Cousin Marriage A'OK, Says Study
A new article in the Journal of Genetic Counseling reviewing recent studies on incidence of birth defects among children of cousins finds that the increaed risk is so slight as to not warrant discouraging cousin marriage. Discouraging marriage and conception between first cousins is common in the US although in many societies, the first (cross) cousin is the preferred spouse. (1, 2)

By: Settle

Settle — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 16:25:59 -0800

finally I can claim this new world and begin a dynasty as pure as god's heaven (I am the wrath of god)

By: ParisParamus

ParisParamus — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 16:47:30 -0800

So, we just imagined that all those Southerners were...oh. forget it.

By: Settle

Settle — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 17:10:07 -0800

This message from the Wisconsin Bureau of Tourism

By: websavvy

websavvy — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 17:24:04 -0800

For more info about marrying your extra-hot cousin...

By: thomas j wise

thomas j wise — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 17:50:01 -0800

When I teach Victorian fiction, I always have large quantities of grossed-out students in shock at how casually these novels discuss first-cousin marriage. Now I can point them to this article :)

By: macadamiaranch

macadamiaranch — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 18:51:20 -0800

Greta Scacchi is married to & has a child with her cousin. Just to throw it out there for ya.

By: stoneegg21

stoneegg21 — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 19:10:32 -0800

I just read "The Arabian Nights" a little while ago, and in almost every story someone married a cousin. It was always the daughter of his father's brother. It's a little unnerving at first, but I got used to it.

By: glennie

glennie — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 20:36:45 -0800

rschram, I must admit, I was a bit skeptical of your provocative claims, but after that link (1), I'm a believer! Now, if I could just find me a bunny...

By: ParisParamus

ParisParamus — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 20:54:03 -0800

rschram: (1) is very, very funny. Thanks.

By: Outlawyr

Outlawyr — Thu, 04 Apr 2002 05:42:41 -0800

Best quote, "Mr. T. asked that his name not be used, because he does business in a small town and fears that he will lose customers if they find out that his wife is also his cousin" I pity the fool!

By: ncurley

ncurley — Thu, 04 Apr 2002 06:31:02 -0800

Crazy Southerners.

By: mdn

mdn — Thu, 04 Apr 2002 09:28:04 -0800

That article has the same stats that I've always heard for increased risk of marrying relatives (another couple percentage points, possibly as much as doubling chances of defects). Of course, our revulsion to incest goes beyond dangers of breeding, as non-reproductive couples who are related freak us out, and like the article pointed out, we don't outlaw people with other reasons to be concerned about the chance of defects from having children. Since it's all about recessive genes, it would presumably increase chances of some positive traits that depend on recessive genes. Just marrying within your race / tribe etc increases some chance of recessive genetic characteristics being passed on... And obviously cousins marrying was for a long time considered pretty normal, probably since people didn't move about much and so many of your neighbors were somehow related to you. I don't really see a need for a law against it but I like the fact that the taboo means there are some relationships that are simply off limits to sexualization.

By: Dark Messiah

Dark Messiah — Thu, 04 Apr 2002 15:07:10 -0800

What is this Shelbyville?